Installation of Floorcovering Article on Chemically Abated Flooring Surface and Composite Article

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to the installation of floorcovering articles on chemically abated flooring surfaces and the composite article resulting therefrom. More specifically, the invention relates to a process for chemical removal of mastic, putty and/or paste material from a flooring surface. The process includes applying abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface to soften the mastic material and cause it to physically separate and release from the flooring surface, removal of the mastic material and abatement chemical, and the subsequent application of a barrier coating to the flooring surface. The barrier coating reduces and/or eliminates the migration of residual abatement chemicals into floorcovering articles thereinafter installed on the chemically abated flooring surface. The resulting composite article is comprised of a chemically abated flooring surface containing pores, at least one abatement chemical in said pores, a polymer-containing barrier material, and a floorcovering article.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 62/656,387, entitled “Installation of Floorcovering Article onChemically Abated Flooring Surface and Composite Article” which wasfiled on Apr. 12, 2018.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the installation of floorcoveringarticles on chemically abated flooring surfaces and the compositearticle resulting therefrom. More specifically, the invention relates toa process for chemical removal of mastic, putty and/or paste materialfrom a flooring surface. The process includes applying abatementchemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface to soften themastic material and cause it to physically separate and release from theflooring surface, removal of the mastic material and abatement chemical,and the subsequent application of a barrier coating to the flooringsurface. The barrier coating reduces and/or eliminates the migration ofresidual abatement chemicals into floorcovering articles thereinafterinstalled on the chemically abated flooring surface. The resultingcomposite article is comprised of a chemically abated flooring surfacecontaining pores, at least one abatement chemical in said pores, apolymer-containing barrier material, and a floorcovering article.

BACKGROUND

Commercial and industrial buildings are generally known to have concreteflooring as the foundation of their structures. When installation offloorcovering articles is desired on this type of flooring surface, avariety of adhesive materials and/or mastic materials is used. Many ofthese materials are designed for permanent or semi-permanent adhesion ofthe floorcovering article to the flooring surface. A problem arises whenit is time to replace the floorcovering articles because it is oftendifficult to remove the adhesive materials and/or mastic materials ofthe previous installation. Thus, removal chemicals have been developedand are used for abatement of these adhesive and/or mastic materialsfrom flooring surfaces. By using the abatement chemicals, the physicalscraping and mechanical force necessary to remove the old adhesives andmastics is greatly reduced. No concrete, asbestos, silica, or other dustis created. The original flat concrete surface can typically berestored. Without the abatement chemicals, mechanical grinding or beadblasting methods are necessary. When dry mechanical methods are used,large amounts of dust are put into the air creating potential healthhazards, especially when asbestos or silica is present. Dry methodsrequire appropriate air handling systems to prevent creating an airbornemess in the building. The dust will settle on the floor, on walls, andmost problematically in the air handling system if special care is notexercised. Alternatively, wet mechanical methods can also be used.Unfortunately, these methods create a wet, concrete powder slurry thatalso can be problematic to contain and dispose of. Special care isneeded to prevent the wet slurry from drying and creating the dust issuediscussed above. The water can damage walls and adjacent floors if notcontained. Since both grinding methods remove some of the concrete fromthe surface, they require additional restoration steps to produce auniform, level surface after grinding is completed.

However, the use of these abatement chemicals is not withoutconsequence. They are known to penetrate into the cracks and pores inconcrete while softening and freeing the adhesives from the flooringsurface. It is difficult to clean and remove the chemicals from thecracks and pores of the concrete during subsequent washing and removalsteps of the abatement process. Later, after floorcovering articles havebeen applied to the chemically abated concrete, the chemicals are knownto move (or migrate) into or onto other articles in close contact withthe flooring surface. This movement/migration often leads to damage ofthe article.

Migration of chemicals from chemically treated flooring surfaces intofloorcovering articles can cause detrimental damage to the floorcoveringarticles installed thereon. Invasion of chemicals, such aspetroleum-based materials like hydrotreated light distillates (mineralspirits), alcohols, glycol ethers, methylene chloride, toluene,alkylbenzenes, and the like, or natural-based materials like alkylesters of soybean oil, citrus oils, and the like, into the floorcoveringarticle generally occurs through physical contact between the flooringsurface and the contact surface of the article. Unwanted compositionaland structural changes are possible. For example, issues withdelamination of layers, loss of adhesion, and edge curling (loss offlatness) may occur. The result is reduced shelf-life and prematurereplacement of the floorcovering articles.

The present invention addresses these issues by providing a process thatreduces the rate that the abatement chemical migrates from the treatedflooring surface into the floorcovering article installed thereon byapplying a barrier material to the flooring surface after chemicalabatement of the adhesive and/or mastic material. The barrier materialaids in reducing the migration of residual abatement chemicals from theflooring surface to the floorcovering articles. The process results inimproved adhesion of the article to the flooring surface and improvedstability (e.g. against delamination) of the article as well. Suchimprovements lead to extended product life (i.e. reduced need to replacethe floorcovering articles), thereby providing a cost savings to theend-user of the process.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention relates to a composite article comprising:(a) a chemically abated flooring surface, wherein the flooring surfacecontains a plurality of pores, (b) at least one abatement chemical,wherein the at least one abatement chemical is present in at least aportion of the plurality of pores, (c) a polymer-containing barriermaterial, and (d) a floorcovering article.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a process for installing afloorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surface comprisingthe steps of: (a) providing a chemically abated flooring surface; (b)applying a polymer-containing barrier material to at least a portion ofthe chemically abated flooring surface to form a chemically abatedflooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon; and (c) applyinga floorcovering article to the barrier-containing, chemically abatedflooring surface.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a process for installing afloorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surface comprisingthe steps of: (a) providing a flooring surface having a mastic materialthereon; (b) applying at least one petroleum-based or natural-basedabatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooring surface; (c)agitating the at least one abatement chemical into and/or onto themastic material of the flooring surface to form a chemically treatedpre-abatement flooring surface; (d) optionally, allowing the chemicallytreated pre-abatement flooring surface to rest/soak for a period oftime; (e) removing at least a portion of the mastic material and the atleast one abatement chemical from the flooring surface to form achemically abated flooring surface; (f) applying a polymer-containingbarrier material to at least a portion of the chemically abated flooringsurface to form a chemically abated flooring surface containing abarrier coating thereon; (g) applying at least one adhesive material tothe chemically abated flooring surface having the barrier coatingthereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooringsurface; and (h) applying a floorcovering article to theadhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a process for installinga floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooring surfacecomprising the steps of: (a) providing a flooring surface having amastic material thereon; (b) applying at least one petroleum-based ornatural-based abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooringsurface; (c) agitating the at least one abatement chemical into and/oronto the mastic material of the flooring surface to form a chemicallytreated pre-abatement flooring surface; (d) optionally, allowing thechemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface to rest/soak for aperiod of time; (e) removing at least a portion of the chemicallytreated pre-abatement flooring surface to form a chemically abatedflooring surface; (f) applying a polymer-containing barrier material toat least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form achemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon;and (g) applying a floorcovering article to the chemically abatedflooring surface, wherein the floorcovering article contains at leastone adhesive material, wherein the at least one adhesive material is inphysical contact with the barrier coating of the chemically abatedflooring surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating the general process of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating the process of the invention ingreater detail.

FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic view of one embodiment of afloorcovering article which may be applied to the chemically abatedflooring surface according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an expanded side view of one embodiment of a vinyl-containingfloor tile with individual adhesive units as fasteners.

FIG. 5 is an expanded side view of another embodiment of avinyl-containing floor tile with individual adhesive units as fasteners.

FIG. 6 is an expanded side view of yet a further embodiment of avinyl-containing floor tile with individual adhesive units as fasteners.

FIG. 7 is an expanded side view of another embodiment of avinyl-containing floor tile with individual adhesive units as fasteners.

FIG. 8 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 15, 17 and 18.

FIG. 9 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 3, 5 and 6.

FIG. 10 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 9, 11 and 12.

FIG. 11 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 13, 14 and 16.

FIG. 12 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 1, 2 and 4.

FIG. 13 is a line graph illustrating the amount of abatement chemicalthat migrated from the concrete flooring surface to the floorcoveringarticle for Examples 7, 8 and 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a process for the chemical abatement offlooring surfaces and the subsequent application of floorcoveringarticles to the chemically abated flooring surfaces.

Definitions:

The term “floorcovering article,” as used herein, is intended todescribe a textile substrate which comprises face fibers and which isutilized to cover surfaces on which people are prone to walk. Thus,floorcovering articles include broadloom carpet; rugs; carpet tile;floor mats; indoor and outdoor rugs, tiles and floor mats; and the like.Carpet tile is also known as modular carpet.

The term “cement,” as used herein, refers to a construction adhesivecomprised of powdered calcined rock and clay materials that forms apaste when mixed with water and can be molded or poured to set as asolid mass.

The term “concrete,” as used herein, refers to a building material madeby mixing water with cement, gravel, and sand. It can be molded orpoured to set as a solid mass. It is generally considered to be a porousmaterial.

The term “mastic” and/or “mastic material,” as used herein, refers to anadhesive material used generally as a bonding agent in commercial andindustrial end-use applications and may be either naturally orsynthetically derived. It is generally known to those skilled in the artas a quick and permanent binding agent which is often difficult to laterremove.

The term “adhesive” as used herein, refers to any mechanical and/orchemical means used to create a lateral, frictional, and/or peel forcebetween at least two opposing surfaces.

The term “abate,” as used herein, refers to decreasing in amount,intensity and/or degree. Similarly, “abatement,” as used herein, refersto a decrease in amount, intensity and/or degree.

The term “thermoplastic” is used herein in its conventional sense tomean a resin having the property of softening or fusing when heated andof hardening again when cooled. Thermoplastic materials suitable for useherein are selected from the group consisting of polyolefin polymers(such as polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene,polybutylene and copolymers made from ethylene, propylene and/orbutylene), polyvinyl chloride (including high density polyvinylchloride), polyvinylidene chloride, cellulosic resins (such as celluloseacetate, cellulose acetate butyrate and cellulose acetate propionate),acrylic resins (such as polymethyl methacrylate, styrene acrylonitrile,polystyrene, polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene),polyamides (such as nylon 6 and nylon 6,6), polyesters (such aspolyethylene terephthalate, glycol modified polyethylene terephthalateand polybutylene terephthalate), and the like, and combinations thereof.

The present invention will now be described with reference to theFigures.

FIG. 1 illustrates the general process of the invention in flowchartformat. First, a decision is made about whether a particular flooringsurface (such as a concrete flooring surface) contains mastic materialthat needs to be removed prior to further use. If this is indeed thecase, then the mastic material is removed (abated) according to thesteps described herein. Then, the loosened mastic material and abatementchemical(s) are removed and the chemically-abated flooring surface iscleaned. Next, a polymer-containing barrier material is applied.Finally, the floorcovering articles are applied and/or installed.

FIG. 2 is a process flow chart illustrating the process of the inventionin greater detail. As shown in FIG. 2, a concrete floor is providedhaving some amount of mastic and/or mastic material thereon. At leastone abatement chemical is applied to the mastic-containing concretefloor. The abatement chemical is selected from the group consisting ofpetroleum-based abatement chemicals, natural-based abatement chemicals,and combinations or mixtures thereof.

Petroleum-based abatement chemicals generally include chemicals derivedfrom materials containing a mixture of hydrocarbons such as alkanes(branched and/or linear hydrocarbons), aromatic hydrocarbons,cycloalkanes, and asphaltenes. Exemplary petroleum-based abatementchemicals are selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycolbutyl ether (herein also “DGBE”), hydrotreated light petroleumdistillates (mineral spirits, herein also “MS”), aminoethanol,2-butoxyethanol (herein also “BOE”), 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol,methylene chloride (dichloromethane), methanol and other alcohols,toluene, monoethanolamine, 1,2-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene,1,2,3,5-tertramethylbenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene,1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-5-ethylbenzene,1,4-dimethyl-2-ethylbenzene, 1-methyl-3-propylbenzene, naphthalene,1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 3-ethyltoluene, mesitylene, 2-ethyltoluene,4-ethyltoluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, propylbenzene, o-xylene,ethoxylated nonylphenol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, alcohol alkoxylates,benzenemethanol (benzyl alcohol), diethylene glycol monobutyl etheracetate and other glycol ethers, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone,2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol, and combinations thereof.

Natural-based abatement chemicals generally include chemicals derivedfrom materials containing non-toxic ingredients that exhibit usefulabatement and/or cleaning properties. Exemplary natural-based abatementchemicals are selected from the group consisting of soy-containingmaterials (herein also “Soy”), citrus-containing materials (such asorange), and combinations thereof. Soy-containing materials includesoybean oils. Soybean oils include methyl ester of soybean oil.Citrus-containing materials include citrus oils (such as orange oil,lemon oil, and the like). Citrus oils include D-limonene.

The abatement chemical may be allowed to soak into and/or onto theflooring surface for a period of time. In one aspect of the invention,the abatement chemical is allowed to soak for a period of about 0.25hours to about 4 hours, or from about 0.5 hours to about 3 hours, oreven from about 1 hour to about 2 hours. During the soaking time, thesurface may be mechanically agitated with a scraper to improve thepenetration of the chemical into and under the mastic, allowing fasterremoval from the flooring surface.

As further shown in FIG. 2, after application of the at least oneabatement chemical to the mastic-containing flooring surface, theloosened mastic is pushed into a pile or puddle and removed using dryabsorbents, plastic shovels, and/or explosion-proof wet vacuums.Preferably, the dry absorbent material is used to aid in soakingup/absorbing the loosened and/or removable mastic material and abatementchemical(s) for ease of disposal. Examples of some dry absorbentsinclude OIL DRI® Granular Clay Absorbent (Uline, Wisconsin), Floor DryGranular Diatomaceous Earth Absorbent (West Coast Spill Supplies,Canada), K-SORB® Cellulosic Absorbents (Ecosorb International, Texas),Vermiculite Granular Absorbent (Uline, Wisconsin), Petroguard GranularAbsorbent (Guardian Environmental Technologies, Connecticut) and CornCob Absorbents (The Andersons Cob Products, Ohio). In one aspect of theinvention, the dry absorbent includes an enzyme that can aid thedecomposition and further removal of the abatement chemical. An exampleis BacKrete® Waterless Concrete Cleaner (BacKrete Corporation, NorthCarolina).

After the mastic material has been removed from the concrete floor, theflooring surface is cleaned with soap (or detergent) and water. In oneaspect of the invention, the soap includes an enzyme. In another aspectof the invention, the enzyme is a water-based enzyme. Exemplaryenzyme-containing detergent products include CoverClean HC andCoverClean FG (CoverTec Products, Florida), and Serpro Tarmac andAsphalt Oil Stain Remover (Serpro, Kent, England). Example enzymesinclude lipases that catalyze the hydrolysis of organic chemicals,especially fats and oils. Some commercial enzyme manufacturers includeDupont Industrial Biosciences (US), Amano Enzyme (Japan), Novozymes(Denmark), AUM Enzymes (India), AB Enzymes (Germany), BASF (Germany),and VTR Bio-Tech (China).

While diligent efforts may be made to remove all of the mastic materialand abatement chemicals from the flooring surface, it is generally knownthat concrete is a porous material. As such, residual abatementchemicals may remain on the surface of the floor and/or in the pores orcracks of the flooring surface. Such an arrangement allows for thepossibility that these residual abatement chemicals will come intodirect physical contact with (or close/near physical contact with) othermaterials, such as floorcovering articles. Without being bound bytheory, it is believed that these residual chemicals migrate onto and/orinto the floorcovering articles subsequently installed thereon.Measurements by gas chromatography, for example, can be used to evaluatethe amount of chemical that has migrated. In one aspect of theinvention, the chemically abated flooring surface is substantially freefrom mastic material.

In order to reduce and/or eliminate abatement chemical migration, apolymer-containing barrier material is applied to the chemically-abatedflooring surface as illustrated in FIG. 2. The polymer-containingbarrier material may be applied to the flooring surface using any of avariety of application techniques. Exemplary application techniquesinclude, without limitation, paint coating, spray coating, rollercoating, troweling methods, brush coating, and the like, and mixturesthereof.

It is believed that the barrier material provides a much-needed layerand/or coating for restricting and/or hindering the passage of anyremaining chemical residue into the subsequently installed floorcoveringarticle(s). Suitable polymer-containing barrier materials are selectedfrom the group consisting of acrylic materials, epoxy-based materials,and mixtures and combinations thereof. Examples of suitablemanufacturers of acrylic-based materials include Dow Chemical, Michigan(Roshield® and Rhoplex® Acrylic Emulsions); BASF, Germany (Joncryl®Acrylic Emulsions); Royal Adhesives, South Carolina (Hydra FAST-EN®brand); Lubrizol, Ohio (Carboset®, Hycar®, and Vycar® Emulsions); StarSeal, Ohio (SOS Sealer®); and Dalton Enterprises, Connecticut(Latex-ite®). Epoxy-based materials include, for example, two-componentepoxy-amines such as Epoxy Oil Stop Primer—For Oil Saturated Concrete(available from Epoxy Systems Inc. of Dunnellon, Fla.) and EM OilStop—Oil Saturated Concrete Floor Primer (available from Epoxy Master ofTroy, Mich.). Epoxy-based materials also include, for example,solvent-based epoxy materials such as Oil Stop Primer (available fromCoverTec of Sunrise, Fla.), SCI Oil Stop Primer 195-120 (available fromSpecialty Coatings Inc. of Fraser, Mich.), and Epoxy Oil Stop Coating HD820 (available from Legacy Industrial of Winter Garden, Fla.). Otherpolymer-containing barrier materials may be utilized as well, eitheralone or in combination with those discussed herein, so long as theyprovide the desired barrier property of the present invention.

In one aspect of the invention, pigments may also be included in thepolymer-containing barrier material, as shown in FIG. 2. The colorpigments may be organic (such as pigment red 170, pigment yellow 17,and/or pigment blue 1), inorganic (such as iron oxide and/or titaniumdioxide), and mixtures thereof. Extender pigments include materials suchas kaolin, clay, silicates, silica, calcium carbonate, talc, zinc oxide,and mixtures thereof. Exemplary suppliers of pigments include LanscoColors (New York), Dystar (Singapore), BASF (Germany), Chemours(Delaware), Imerys (France), Malvern Minerals Company (Arkansas), andThiele Kaolin Company (Georgia). A preferred pigment is a kaolin-basedmaterial. Kaolin-based materials add color to the barrier material,while also improving the barrier properties of coatings. Commerciallyavailable examples of kaolin-based materials are the Hydrite® kaolinproducts from Imerys. As known in the art, wetting agents, dispersingagents, defoamers, and the like (more broadly classified as surfactants)may be added to improve the dispersion of the pigments and the spreadingproperties of the coating. Exemplary suppliers of surfactants includeDow (Michigan), Dystar (Singapore), and BASF (Germany). In one aspect ofthe invention, pigments having a plate-like morphology may be desired.Mixtures of any of the aforementioned pigments may be suitable for usein the present invention.

In one aspect of the invention, at least one adhesive material isapplied to the floorcovering article during the manufacturing process.In this embodiment, the floorcovering articles are ready to be installedon the chemically-abated flooring surface that further contains abarrier material. After installation, at least a portion of the adhesivematerial is in direct physical contact with at least a portion of thebarrier material.

In another aspect of the invention, at least one adhesive material isapplied to the chemically-abated flooring surface that further containsa barrier material (i.e. not applied to floorcovering article during themanufacturing process).

It is also further contemplated to be within the scope of this inventionthat the at least one adhesive material is applied both to thefloorcovering article during the manufacturing process and to thechemically-abated flooring surface separately from the manufacturingprocess. Alternatively, in another aspect of the invention, no adhesivematerial is applied to the chemically-abated flooring surface.

Adhesive materials are selected from the group consisting of hot meltadhesives (such as polyurethane hotmelt, polyolefin hotmelt, and thelike), pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride (“pvc”),acrylic/pvc copolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumenmaterials, and the like, and combinations thereof. Pressure sensitiveadhesives include emulsions, solutions (also called solvent adhesives),hot melts adhesives, ultraviolet light-cured adhesives, and solids(referring to the amount of non-solvent content in an adhesive byweight). Pressure sensitive adhesives may be selected from rubber-basedadhesives, acrylic-based adhesives, modified acrylic adhesives, siliconeadhesives, and combinations thereof.

Pressure-sensitive adhesives (or “PSAs”) are generally classified intotwo main classes: 100% solids and less than 100% solids. A 100% solidsrefers to the amount of non-solvent content in an adhesive by weight.These adhesive materials are further characterized as being polymericadhesive materials. In the class of 100% solids, adhesive materials maybe further characterized as plastisol, thermoplastic, or thermoset.Thermoplastic adhesives are also known as hot-melt adhesives. In theclass of less than 100% solids, adhesive materials may be furthercharacterized as solvent borne-solution or water-borne emulsion (alsoreferred to as water-borne latex). Within each of these furthercharacterizations, adhesive materials may be described as being either apermanent adhesive or a removeable/repositionable adhesive. As usedherein, a “permanent” adhesive is an adhesive designed to stick to asubstrate (also known as the adherent) without edge lifting and thatcannot be removed without damaging either the adhesive material itselfor the substrate to which it has been adhered. A “removeable” adhesiveis an adhesive designed to stick to a substrate without edge lifting andthat can be removed without damaging either the adhesive material itselfor the substrate to which it has been adhered. In addition, “permanent”or “removeable/repositionable” can be determined by how the layers ofmaterial which are adhered together with an adhesive material fractureduring stress (also known as “adhesive failure mode”). For example,under stress, permanent adhesives are typically designed to fracture inthe adherent itself and not in the interface of adhesive material andadherent. In contrast, repositionable adhesives are typically designedto fracture under stress in the interface of the adhesive material andthe adherent. Additional information regarding adhesive materials asdescribed herein may be found athttps://label.averydennison.asia/content/dam/averydennison/lpm/na/en/doc/home/resource%20center/Adhesive%200verview(1).pdf, which is entirelyincorporated by reference herein. Also, adhesive materials useful in thepresent invention are described in Pressure-Sensitive Design andFormulation, Application by Istvan Benedek (Koninklijke Brill Nev.,Leiden, The Netherlands, Vol. 2, 2006), which book is entirelyincorporated by reference herein. Information regarding adhesives understress (e.g. adhesive failure modes) can be found athttp://www.nhml.com/adhesion-failure-modes, which is entirelyincorporated by reference herein.

In one aspect of the invention, and as shown in FIG. 1, Adhesive A andAdhesive B are pressure sensitive adhesives. Adhesive A is a waterborneacrylic pressure sensitive adhesive. Adhesive B is a hotmelt pressuresensitive adhesive. Commercially available acrylic pressure sensitiveadhesives are available, for example, from Bostik (US) and RoyalAdhesives and Sealants (US). Commercially available hotmelt pressuresensitive adhesives are available, for example, from Bostik (US),Reynolds (US), and Adhesive Specialists Inc. (US).

Standard methods of known floorcovering installation may be used toachieve application and/or adherence of the floorcovering article to theflooring surface. For the sake of completeness and illustration, theconstruction of floorcovering articles is further herein described.

Floorcovering articles, that may be applied to and/or installed on thechemically-abated flooring surface of the invention described hereininclude, without limitation, woven carpet, knitted carpet, tuftedcarpet, graphics tufted carpet, stitched on pile carpet, bonded pilecarpet, hooked carpet, knotted pile carpet, and the like. Thefloorcovering articles may be broadloom carpet or carpet tiles. Thefloorcovering articles may be of any suitable construction (e.g.hardback, cushion back, etc.). The face may be constructed of anyappropriate textile material in yarn or pile form that is suitable fordyeing and patterning, and may have a face height or pile height that isuniform or non-uniform (e.g. may be textured, as found in a multi-levelloop pile) created by tufting, needling, flocking, bonding, and thelike, or the use of non-woven substrates. Patterning of thefloorcovering article may be achieved by weaving, tufting, and/orprinting processes.

In one aspect of the present invention, the tufted pile carpet iscomprised of yarn tufted into fabric, which is then injection or fluiddyed, and then bonded with a rubber layer or latex backing. The carpetyarn may be selected from nylon 6; nylon 6,6; polyester; andpolypropylene fiber. The yarn is tufted into a woven or nonwovensubstrate. The yarn can be of any pile height and weight necessary tosupport printing. The tufted pile carpet may be printed using any printprocess. In one aspect, injection dyeing may be utilized to print thetufted pile carpet.

Printing inks will contain at least one dye. Dyes may be selected fromacid dyes, direct dyes, reactive dyes, cationic dyes, disperse dyes, andmixtures thereof. Acid dyes include azo, anthraquinone, triphenylmethane and xanthine types. Direct dyes include azo, stilbene, thiazole,dioxsazine and phthalocyanine types. Reactive dyes include azo,anthraquinone and phthalocyanine types. Cationic dyes include thiazole,methane, cyanine, quinolone, xanthene, azine, and triaryl methine.Disperse dyes include azo, anthraquinone, nitrodiphenylamine, naphthalimide, naphthoquinone imide and methane, triarylmethine and quinolinetypes.

As is known in the textile printing art, specific dye selection dependsupon the type of fiber and/or fibers comprising the floorcoveringarticle being printed. For example, in general, a disperse dye may beused to print polyester fibers. Alternatively, for materials made fromcationic dyeable polyester fiber, cationic dyes may be used.

Printing processes useful in conjunction with the present invention mayemploy a jet dyeing machine, or a digital printing machine, to placeprinting ink on the surface of the floorcovering article inpredetermined locations. One suitable and commercially available digitalprinting machine is the Millitron® digital printing machine, availablefrom Milliken & Company of Spartanburg, S.C. The Millitron® machine usesan array of jets with continuous streams of dye liquor that can bedeflected by a controlled air jet. The array of jets, or gun bars, istypically stationary. Another suitable and commercially availabledigital printing machine is the Chromojet® carpet printing machine,available from Zimmer Machinery Corporation of Spartanburg, S.C. In oneaspect, a tufted carpet made according to the processes disclosed inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,678,159 and 7,846,214, both to Weiner, may be printedwith a jet dyeing apparatus as described and exemplified herein.

Viscosity modifiers may be included in the printing ink compositions.Suitable viscosity modifiers that may be utilized include known naturalwater-soluble polymers such as polysaccharides, such as starchsubstances derived from corn and wheat, gum arabic, locust bean gum,tragacanth gum, guar gum, guar flour, polygalactomannan gum, xanthan,alginates, and a tamarind seed; protein substances such as gelatin andcasein; tannin substances; and lignin substances. Examples of thewater-soluble polymer further include synthetic polymers such as knownpolyvinyl alcohol compounds and polyethylene oxide compounds. Mixturesof the aforementioned viscosity modifiers may also be used. The polymerviscosity is measured at elevated temperatures when the polymer is inthe molten state. For example, viscosity may be measured in units ofcentipoise at elevated temperatures, using a Brookfield Thermosel unitfrom Brookfield Engineering Laboratories of Middleboro, Mass.Alternatively, polymer viscosity may be measured by using a parallelplate rheometer, such as made by Haake from Rheology Services ofVictoria Australia.

One exemplary floorcovering construction is shown in FIG. 3. In thisexemplary construction, floorcovering article 325 is made up of aprimary carpet fabric 312 formed from a plurality of pile yarns 314tufted through a primary backing layer 316 such as a scrim or nonwovenfibrous textile of polyester or polypropylene. A precoat backing layer318 of a resilient adhesive such as SBR latex is disposed across theunderside of primary carpet fabric 312 so as to hold the pile yarns 314in place within the primary backing 316. An adhesive layer 320 such as ahot melt adhesive extends away from the precoat backing layer 318. Alayer of stabilizing material 322 such as woven or nonwoven glass isdisposed at a position between the adhesive layer 320 and a cushioninglayer 324 such as virgin or rebounded polyurethane foam or the like. Asecondary backing layer 326 such as a nonwoven blend of polyester andpolypropylene fibers is disposed across the underside of the cushioninglayer 324.

Pile yarns 314 may be either spun or filament yarns formed of naturalfibers such as wool, cotton, or the like. The pile yarns 314 may also beformed of synthetic materials such as polyamide polymers including nylon6 or nylon 6,6; polyesters such as PET and PBT; polyolefins such aspolyethylene and polypropylene; rayon; and polyvinyl polymers such aspolyacrylonitrile. Blends of natural and synthetic fibers such as blendsof cotton, wool, polyester and nylon may also be used within the pileyarns 314. In FIG. 3, the pile yarns 314 are illustrated in a loop pileconstruction. Of course, it is to be understood that other pileconstructions as will be known to those of skill in the art includingcut pile constructions and the like may likewise be used.

Floorcovering articles may have a fiber face weight in the range fromabout 1 to about 75 ounces/square yard, or in the range from about 5 toabout 60 ounces/square yard, or in the range from about 10 to about 55ounces/square yard, or in the range from about 20 to about 50ounces/square yard.

In addition, the textile materials and/or fabrics comprising thefloorcovering article, for example, the pile surface of a floorcoveringarticle, may be synthetic fiber, natural fiber, man-made fiber usingnatural constituents, inorganic fiber, glass fiber, or a blend of any ofthe foregoing. By way of example only, synthetic fibers may includepolyester, acrylic, polyamide, polyolefin, polyaramid, polyurethane, orblends thereof. More specifically, polyester may include polyethyleneterephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polybutyleneterephthalate, polylactic acid, or combinations thereof. Polyamide mayinclude nylon 6, nylon 6,6, or combinations thereof. Polyolefin mayinclude polypropylene, polyethylene, or combinations thereof. Polyaramidmay include poly-p-phenyleneteraphthalamide (i.e., Kevlar®),poly-m-phenyleneteraphthalamide (i.e., Nomex®), or combinations thereof.Exemplary natural fibers include wool, cotton, linen, ramie, jute, flax,silk, hemp, or blends thereof. Exemplary man-made materials usingnatural constituents include regenerated cellulose (i.e., rayon),lyocell, or blends thereof.

The textile substrates of the floorcovering article may be formed fromstaple fiber, filament fiber, slit film fiber, or combinations thereof.The fiber may be exposed to one or more texturing processes. The fibermay then be spun or otherwise combined into yarns, for example, by ringspinning, open-end spinning, air jet spinning, vortex spinning, orcombinations thereof. Accordingly, the textile substrates will generallybe comprised of interlaced fibers, interlaced yarns, loops, orcombinations thereof.

The textile substrates may be comprised of fibers or yarns of any size,including microdenier fibers or yarns (fibers or yarns having less thanone denier per filament). The fibers or yarns may have deniers thatrange from less than about 0.1 denier per filament to about 2000 denierper filament or, more preferably, from less than about 1 denier perfilament to about 500 denier per filament.

Furthermore, the textile substrates may be partially or wholly comprisedof multi-component or bi-component fibers or yarns in variousconfigurations such as, for example, islands-in-the-sea, core andsheath, side-by-side, or pie configurations. Depending on theconfiguration of the bi-component or multi-component fibers or yarns,the fibers or yarns may be splittable along their length by chemical ormechanical action.

Additionally, the fibers comprising the textile substrates may includeadditives coextruded therein, may be precoated with any number ofdifferent materials, including those listed in greater detail below,and/or may be dyed or colored to provide other aesthetic features forthe end user with any type of colorant, such as, for example,poly(oxyalkylenated) colorants, as well as pigments, dyes, tints, andthe like. Other additives may also be present on and/or within thetarget fiber or yarn, including antistatic agents, brighteningcompounds, nucleating agents, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, fillers,permanent press finishes, softeners, lubricants, curing accelerators,and the like.

As will be appreciated, the actual construction of floorcovering article325 may be subject to a wide range of variations. Accordingly, themulti-layered construction illustrated in FIG. 3 is to be understood asconstituting merely an exemplary construction representative of afloorcovering article and that the present invention is equallyapplicable to any other construction of carpeting and/or other textilesas may be desired. By way of example only, various suitable carpet tileconstructions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,203,881 and 6,468,623.

Other floorcovering articles may include vinyl tile, such as luxuryvinyl tile. FIGS. 4 to 7 illustrate various vinyl tile constructionswhich may be utilized with the process of the present invention. FIGS. 4to 7 are representative examples of multi-layered vinyl floor tile alsoknown as a luxury vinyl tile (or “LVT”). FIG. 4 illustrates vinyl tile400 comprised of seven sequential layers that include polyurethanecoating 410, transparent wear layer 420, printed layer 430, vinyl corelayer 450, vinyl backing layer 460, adhesive layer 470, and textilesubstrate layer 490. In one aspect of the invention, transparent wearlayer 420 may be comprised of a vinyl-containing material. Adhesivelayer 470 may also be comprised of a vinyl-containing adhesive material.In another aspect of the invention, textile substrate layer 490 is anonwoven textile substrate and is comprised of polyester fiber,polypropylene fiber or blends of polyester and polypropylene fibers. Anadhesive system is illustrated as adhesive fastener 440. Adhesivefastener 440 is comprised of adhesive materials as described herein.Adhesive fastener 440 is positioned and attached to vinyl tile 400. Aplurality of vinyl tiles may be attached to one another via the adhesivefasteners. Additional adhesive material is utilized with the adhesivesystem to form a non-floating floorcovering article comprised of aplurality of vinyl tiles attached to one another via adhesive fasteners.

FIG. 5 illustrates vinyl tile 500 comprised of eight sequential layersthat include polyurethane coating 510, transparent wear layer 520,printed layer 530, vinyl core layer 550, vinyl backing layer 560,adhesive layer 570, foam layer 580, and textile substrate layer 590. Inone aspect of the invention, transparent wear layer 520 may be comprisedof a vinyl-containing material. Adhesive layer 570 may also be comprisedof a vinyl-containing adhesive material. Foam layer 580 is an open cellor closed cell foam material. Foam layer 580 may be a polyurethane foam,a foamed vinyl material, or a foamed layer comprised of other suitablepolymer materials known for use as foam articles. In another aspect ofthe invention, textile substrate layer 590 is a nonwoven textilesubstrate and is comprised of polyester fiber, polypropylene fiber orblends of polyester and polypropylene fibers. An adhesive system isillustrated as adhesive fastener 540. Adhesive fastener 540 is comprisedof adhesive materials as described herein. Adhesive fastener 540 ispositioned and attached to vinyl tile 500.

FIG. 6 illustrates vinyl tile 600 comprised of eight sequential layersthat include polyurethane coating 610, transparent wear layer 620,printed layer 630, vinyl core layer 650, glass fiber layer 655, vinylbacking layer 660, adhesive layer 670, and textile substrate layer 690.In one aspect of the invention, transparent wear layer 620 may becomprised of a vinyl-containing material. Adhesive layer 670 may also becomprised of a vinyl-containing adhesive material. In another aspect ofthe invention, textile substrate layer 690 is a nonwoven textilesubstrate and is comprised of polyester fiber, polypropylene fiber orblends of polyester and polypropylene fibers. An adhesive system isillustrated as adhesive fastener 640. Adhesive fastener 640 is comprisedof adhesive materials as described herein. Adhesive fastener 640 ispositioned and attached to vinyl tile 600.

FIG. 7 illustrates vinyl tile 700 comprised of nine sequential layersthat include polyurethane coating 710, transparent wear layer 720,printed layer 730, vinyl core layer 750, glass fiber layer 755, vinylbacking layer 760, adhesive layer 770, foam layer 780, and textilesubstrate layer 790. In one aspect of the invention, transparent wearlayer 720 may be comprised of a vinyl-containing material. Adhesivelayer 770 may also be comprised of a vinyl-containing adhesive material.Foam layer 780 is an open cell or closed cell foam material. Foam layer780 may be a polyurethane foam, a foamed vinyl material, or a foamedlayer comprised of other suitable polymer materials known for use asfoam articles. In another aspect of the invention, textile substratelayer 790 is a nonwoven textile substrate and is comprised of polyesterfiber, polypropylene fiber or blends of polyester and polypropylenefibers. An adhesive system is illustrated as adhesive fastener 740.Adhesive fastener 740 is comprised of adhesive materials as describedherein. Adhesive fastener 740 is positioned and attached to vinyl tile700.

It should be noted that the layers of the vinyl article described herein(e.g. as described in FIGS. 4 to 7) are typically prepared and combinedtogether in larger roll form, and not initially in smaller tile form.Thus, after assembling the layers of the vinyl article together, thearticle is then cut into vinyl tiles. The vinyl article may be cut usinga computer controlled cutting device, such as a Gerber machine, or byusing a mechanical dye cutter. The vinyl article should be cut withprecision such that the resulting cut tiles fit in place with thesurrounding cut tiles. The vinyl article may be cut into vinyl tileshaving sizes in the range from 4 inches by 4 inches to 72 inches by 72inches. The vinyl tiles may be of the same length and width, thusforming a square shape. Or, the vinyl tiles may have differentdimensions such that the width and the length are not the same. Forexample, the vinyl tiles may be a rectangular shape.

It should be understood that the construction of the vinyl tiledescribed herein is not limited only to that which is shown by theFigures. Additional layers of substrate may be included in the vinyltile. For example, a removeable and/or/repositionable adhesive may beincluded on the floor facing surface of the vinyl tile. Alternatively,one or more layers of substrate may be removed from the vinyl tile andstill be within the scope of the present invention.

The following examples further illustrate the subject matter of thepresent invention but should not be construed as in any way limiting thescope thereof.

The chemical abatement process of the invention was conducted and testedas described herein below. The flooring surface was concrete havingmastic material thereon. The floorcovering article applied to thechemically abated flooring surface was carpet tile. The carpet tile wascommercially available Underscore—Formwork carpet tile andUnderscore—Tractionback Plus—Formwork carpet tile, both available fromMilliken & Company of Spartanburg, S.C. The size of each carpet tile was50 cm by 50 cm.

The following process for chemical abatement of the flooring surfaceaccording to this invention was used:

-   -   1. Abatement chemical was poured onto the concrete flooring        surface and spread across the flooring surface with a plastic        short bristle brush.    -   2. The abatement chemical was allowed to soak and penetrate into        the mastic material for 15-25 minutes.    -   3. A floor scraper was used to rub and scrape the concrete        surface. Loosened mastic material was moved and into a pile and        removed with a plastic shovel.    -   4. The flooring surface was scrubbed with a short bristle brush.    -   5. As needed, additional abatement chemical was added to the        flooring surface.    -   6. The abatement chemical was allowed to soak for 1 to 2 hours.    -   7. “Oil-Dri” dry absorbent was spread on the flooring surface at        a rate of 40#/100-150 ft² until all of the visible abatement        chemical was removed.    -   8. The dry absorbent was collected into plastic drums for proper        waste disposal.    -   9. The flooring surface was cleaned with detergent and water per        product instructions.    -   10. The liquid on the flooring surface was then squeegeed and        removed with a wet vacuum and/or mop.    -   11. Using clean water and a mop, the flooring surface was mopped        several times, with frequent water changes.    -   12. The flooring surface was allowed to dry for 3 days.    -   13. A barrier chemical was applied to the chemically abated        flooring surface using a ⅜″ nap paint roller. The paint roller        was rolled in both horizontal and vertical directions in order        to thoroughly and uniformly coat the flooring surface with the        barrier chemical.    -   14. The chemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier        coating was allowed to air dry.    -   15. Carpet tile was then applied to the flooring surface using        the appropriate installation techniques for each respective        carpet.

The following materials were used in the process of the invention:

Abatement Chemicals:

Three abatement chemicals were tested according to the process of theinvention. Sentinel Low Odor Mast Remover SC-170 (referred to as“Petroleum” in Tables) was a petroleum-based chemical available fromJon-Don Atlanta of Norcross, Ga. Mast-Away 77 (referred to as “Citrus”in Tables) was a natural-based citrus chemical available from Mast-AwayMastic Removers of St. Louis, Mo. Blue Bear® 500 MR (referred to as“Soy” in Tables) was an alkyl ester soybean oil-based chemical availablefrom Jon-Don Atlanta of Norcross, Ga.

Cleaning Materials:

Two cleaning materials were tested according to the process of theinvention. CoverClean HC (referred to as “Bio Soap” in Tables) was amicrobial cleaner available from CoverTec Products of Sunrise, Fla.Phlex Cleaner/Degreaser (also referred to as “Standard Soap” in Tables)was a solvent-free cleaner and degreaser detergent available fromMast-Away Mastic Removers of St. Louis, Mo.

Barrier Materials:

Several barrier materials were tested according the process of theinvention. Star® SOS Sealer™ (referred to as “SOS” in Tables) was alatex-based coating available from Hercules Sealcoat Mfg., Inc. Star®SOS Sealer™ was also diluted with water to create a mixture that was 50%by weight of the SOS material (referred to as “50% SOS” in Tables).Latex-Ite® Oil Spot Primer (referred to as “Latex-Re” in Tables) was asynthetic resin liquid material available from Dalton Enterprises, Inc.of Cheshire, Conn. In several embodiments of testing, no barriermaterial was used (indicated as “None” in Tables).

Adhesive Materials:

Two adhesive materials were tested according the process of theinvention.

Adhesive A was Milliken Non-Reactive Standard Modular Carpet Adhesive,an acrylic emulsion adhesive available from Milliken & Company ofSpartanburg, S.C. It was applied to the cleaned floor using a ¾″ naproller and air dried as specified in the product's publishedinstallation instructions.

Adhesive B was TractionBack® Plus backing system also from Milliken &Company. A hotmelt-based, high friction, pressure sensitive adhesive wasapplied to the carpet tile during the manufacturing process. The carpettiles were further bound together using 4 inch square adhesive stripscontaining 3 mils of acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive.

Table 1 provides information regarding the various embodiments testedaccording to the process of the invention. Sample Nos. 1, 2, 5, 7, 8,11, 13, 14, 17 and 19-27 are considered to be Inventive Examples. SampleNos. 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18 are considered to be ComparativeExamples.

TABLE 1 Chemical Abatement of Flooring Surface Sample AbatementDetergent Barrier Adhesive No. Chemical Material Material Material 1Petroleum BioSoap Latex-Ite B 2 Petroleum BioSoap SOS B 3 PetroleumBioSoap None A 4 Petroleum BioSoap None B 5 Petroleum Standard Soap SOSA 6 Petroleum Standard Soap None A 7 Citrus Bio Soap Latex-Ite B 8Citrus Bio Soap SOS B 9 Citrus Bio Soap None A 10 Citrus Bio Soap None B11 Citrus Standard Soap SOS A 12 Citrus Standard Soap None A 13 Soy BioSoap Latex-Ite B 14 Soy Bio Soap SOS B 15 Soy Bio Soap None A 16 Soy BioSoap None B 17 Soy Standard Soap SOS A 18 Soy Standard Soap None A 19Petroleum Bio Soap SOS A 20 Petroleum Bio Soap 50% SOS A 21 PetroleumBio Soap Latex-Ite A 22 Citrus Bio Soap SOS A 23 Citrus Bio Soap 50% SOSA 24 Citrus Bio Soap Latex-Ite A 25 Soy Bio Soap SOS A 26 Soy Bio Soap50% SOS A 27 Soy Bio Soap Latex-Ite A

Upon visual inspection, it was noted that the chemically abated flooringsurfaces exhibited altered depths of color. More specifically, the useof citrus oil and soybean oil abatement chemicals provided chemicallyabated flooring surfaces having a darker depth of color thanpetroleum-based abatement chemicals. Also, the barrier-coated flooringsurfaces exhibited a light-reflecting sheen.

Evaluation of Adhesion of Floorcovering Article to Chemically AbatedFlooring Surface with Barrier Coating:

Carpet tile samples containing Adhesive A were tested for 24-hourbonding to the flooring surface. The test method was as follows:

The adhesive was applied to the cleaned concrete for a releasableinstallation using a ¾″ roller at approximately a 35 to 40 sq.yds./gallon application rate. The adhesive was allowed to dry completelyprior to installation of the modular carpet. The properly dried adhesivedid not transfer to the finger and had a tacky feel. After placing thecarpet tile on the dried adhesive, downward pressure was applied toassure contact with the substrate. After 24 hours, a carpet tile fromthe installation was pulled up to see if the modular carpet wasadequately bonded to the concrete substrate, inhibiting any lateralmovement, and confirming that the adhesive remained firmly bonded to theconcrete substrate. For properly adhered adhesive, all the adhesiveshould remain on the floor, and no adhesive should transfer to the backof the tile.

A “pass” rating means that (a) no delamination of the layers of thecarpet tile was visually observed and (b) no movement of carpet tile,gapping between carpet tiles or curling of the carpet tile edge(s) wasvisually observed. A “fail” rating means at least one of the followingwas visually observed: some amount of delamination of the layers of thecarpet tile, movement of the carpet tile, gapping between carpet tiles,and curling of edge(s) of carpet tile.

The test results are provided in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Adhesive A Test Results for 24-Hour Bonding Abatement DetergentBarrier Adhesive Test Sample No. Chemical Material Chemical MaterialResult 19 Petroleum Bio Soap SOS A Fail* 20 Petroleum Bio Soap 50% SOS APass 21 Petroleum Bio Soap Latex-Ite A Pass 3 Petroleum Bio Soap None APass 22 Citrus-Based Bio Soap SOS A Pass 23 Citrus-Based Bio Soap 50%SOS A Pass 24 Citrus-Based Bio Soap Latex-Ite A Pass 9 Citrus-Based BioSoap None A Pass 25 Soy-Based Bio Soap SOS A Pass 26 Soy-Based Bio Soap50% SOS A Pass 27 Soy-Based Bio Soap Latex-Ite A Pass 15 Soy-Based BioSoap None A Pass *Two carpet tiles independently produced aquarter-sized (24-25 mm; 0.5-1.0 inch) delamination area.

Evaluation of Migration of Abatement Chemicals:

The samples were analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction gaschromatography-mass spectrometry-flame ionization detection(SPME-GC-MS-FID) to estimate the rate that the abatement chemicalmigrated from the concrete and into the carpet. The samples weremeasured twice over a 40-day period. Periodically, small pieces of thecarpet were cut from the center of modular tile, weighed, and placedinto vials and sealed for analysis. Samples were equilibrated at 50° C.for 10 minutes prior to sampling with an analysis fiber. Samplescontaining the soybean oil-based chemical and the petroleum-basedchemical were sampled for 1 minute. Samples containing the citrus-basedtreatment were sampled for 6 seconds. The fiber was subsequentlydesorbed to the GC system. For the petroleum-based chemical, dodecaneand tridecane were tracked. For the soybean oil-based chemical, hexanalwas tracked. Since hexanal is expected to be significantly more volatilethan other soy derivatives, the results might overestimate the amount ofthis substance present in the carpet. For the citrus-based chemical,d-limonene was tracked. The species were identified by mass spectrometrywith a FID detector. The FID peak areas were used due to the largerlinear dynamic range of this detector and because no significantinterferences were noted that necessitated the use of the massspectrometer to enhance resolution. Toluene standards were injectedalong with the sequence to reduce error in measurements due to thesignificant length of instrument time. The normalized peak area for thespecies of interest was calculated by dividing the peak area of thesample peak by the peak area of the toluene standard. The response wasthen adjusted to a per weight basis by dividing the normalized peak areaby the mass of the sample in the vial. The peak area was directlyproportional to the concentration of abatement chemical in the sample.

Gas chromatography test results are shown in FIGS. 8 to 13. FIG. 8 is aline graph illustrating the results for soybean oil-based abatementchemicals and Adhesive A for Examples 15, 17 and 18. FIG. 9 is a linegraph illustrating the results for petroleum-based abatement chemicalsand Adhesive A for Examples 3, 5 and 6. FIG. 10 is a line graphillustrating the results for citrus-based abatement chemicals andAdhesive A for Examples 9, 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a line graphillustrating the results for soybean oil-based abatement chemicals andAdhesive B for Examples 13, 14 and 16. FIG. 12 is a line graphillustrating the results for petroleum-based abatement chemicals andAdhesive B for Examples 1, 2 and 4. FIG. 13 is a line graph illustratingthe results for citrus-based abatement chemicals and Adhesive B forExamples 7, 8 and 10.

As shown in FIGS. 8 to 13, the SPME-GC-MS-FID results indicate that thebarrier coating decreases the rate at which the abatement chemical movesfrom the concrete into the carpet tile. In general, bio-soap aids inlowering the amount of chemical available to transfer into the carpettile.

Pigment Evaluation:

In further testing, a mixture of 100 g of Latex-ite® Oil Spot Primer(Dalton Enterprises, Inc., Connecticut), 8.9 g of Hydrite SB100 (Imerys,Georgia), 0.6 g of Tamol 731A (Dow, Michigan), 0.2 g of Triton N-57(Dow, Michigan), 0.17 g of Imperon Red K-GC (Dystar, North Carolina),and 0.11 g of Masil SF19 (Dystar, North Carolina) was made and coatedonto the concrete flooring surface previously abated with Sentinel LowOdor Mast Remover SC-170, Mast-Away 77, and Blue Bear® 500 MR. After airdrying for about 5 minutes, a uniform red-colored coating was created.In this instance, the barrier-coated flooring surface did not exhibit alight-reflecting sheen.

All references, including publications, patent applications, andpatents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the sameextent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicatedto be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entiretyherein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in thecontext of describing the subject matter of this application (especiallyin the context of the following claims) are to be construed to coverboth the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein orclearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,”“including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms(i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted.Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as ashorthand method of referring individually to each separate valuefalling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and eachseparate value is incorporated into the specification as if it wereindividually recited herein. All methods described herein can beperformed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein orotherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and allexamples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, isintended merely to better illuminate the subject matter of theapplication and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the subjectmatter unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification shouldbe construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to thepractice of the subject matter described herein.

Preferred embodiments of the subject matter of this application aredescribed herein, including the best mode known to the inventors forcarrying out the claimed subject matter. Variations of those preferredembodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artupon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilledartisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventorsintend for the subject matter described herein to be practiced otherwisethan as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this disclosureincludes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recitedin the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover,any combination of the above-described elements in all possiblevariations thereof is encompassed by the present disclosure unlessotherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

What is claimed is:
 1. A composite article comprising: (a) A chemicallyabated flooring surface, wherein the flooring surface contains aplurality of pores, (b) At least one abatement chemical, wherein the atleast one abatement chemical is present in at least a portion of theplurality of pores, (c) A polymer-containing barrier material, and (d) Afloorcovering article.
 2. The composite article of claim 1, wherein thechemically abated flooring surface is concrete.
 3. The composite articleof claim 1, wherein the at least one abatement chemical is selected frompetroleum-based chemicals, natural-based chemicals, and mixturesthereof.
 4. The composite article of claim 3, wherein petroleum-basedabatement chemicals are selected from the group consisting of mineralspirits, glycol ethers, alcohols, and mixtures thereof.
 5. The compositearticle of claim 3, wherein petroleum-based abatement chemicals areselected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol butyl ether,hydrotreated light petroleum distillates, aminoethanol, 2-butoxyethanol,2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylene chloride, methanol, toluene,monoethanolamine, 1,2-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene,1,2,3,5-tertramethylbenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene,1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-5-ethylbenzene,1,4-dimethyl-2-ethylbenzene, 1-methyl-3-propylbenzene, naphthalene,1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 3-ethyltoluene, mesitylene, 2-ethyltoluene,4-ethyltoluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, propylbenzene, o-xylene,ethoxylated nonylphenol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, alcohol alkoxylates,benzenemethanol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate,N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol, and combinationsthereof.
 6. The composite article of claim 3, wherein natural-basedabatement chemicals are selected from the group consisting ofsoy-containing materials, citrus-containing materials, and combinationsthereof.
 7. The composite article of claim 6, wherein soy-containingmaterials are selected from soybean oils.
 8. The composite article ofclaim 7, wherein soybean oils are alkyl esters of soybean oil.
 9. Thecomposite article of claim 8, wherein alkyl esters of soybean oil aremethyl esters of soybean oil.
 10. The composite article of claim 6,wherein citrus-containing materials are citrus oils.
 11. The compositearticle of claim 10, wherein citrus oils include D-limonene.
 12. Thecomposite article of claim 1, wherein the polymer-containing barriermaterial is selected from the group consisting of acrylic material,epoxy-based material, and combinations thereof.
 13. The compositearticle of claim 1, wherein the polymer-containing barrier materialfurther includes at least one pigment.
 14. The composite article ofclaim 13, wherein the at least one pigment is selected from the groupconsisting of organic pigment, inorganic pigment, extender pigment, andmixtures thereof.
 15. The composite article of claim 14, wherein theextender pigment is selected from the group consisting of kaolin, clay,silicate, silica, calcium carbonate, talc, zinc oxide, and mixturesthereof.
 16. The composite article of claim 14, wherein the at least onepigment is a kaolin-based material.
 17. The composite article of claim16, wherein the kaolin-based material is layered silicate.
 18. Thecomposite article of claim 1, wherein the composite article furtherincludes at least one adhesive material.
 19. The composite article ofclaim 18, wherein the at least one adhesive material is selected fromthe group consisting of hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitiveadhesives, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic/pvc copolymer, partiallychlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumen materials, and combinationsthereof.
 20. The composite article of claim 1, wherein the chemicallyabated flooring surface is substantially free from mastic material. 21.The composite article of claim 1, wherein the floorcovering articlefurther contains at least one adhesive material.
 22. The compositearticle of claim 1, wherein the floorcovering article is selected fromthe group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloom carpet, modular carpet,and combinations thereof.
 23. The composite article of claim 22, whereinthe floorcovering article is modular carpet.
 24. The composite articleof claim 23, wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile.
 25. A processfor installing a floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooringsurface comprising the steps of: (a) Providing a chemically abatedflooring surface; (b) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material toat least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form achemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon;and (c) Applying a floorcovering article to the barrier-containing,chemically abated flooring surface.
 26. The process of claim 25, whereinthe chemically abated flooring surface is concrete.
 27. The process ofclaim 25, wherein the polymer-containing barrier material is selectedfrom the group consisting of acrylic material, epoxy-based material, andcombinations thereof.
 28. The process of claim 25, wherein thepolymer-containing barrier material further includes at least onepigment.
 29. The process of claim 28, wherein the at least one pigmentis a kaolin-based material.
 30. The process of claim 29, wherein thekaolin-based material is layered silicate.
 31. The process of claim 25,wherein the process further includes the step of applying at least oneadhesive material to the chemically abated flooring surface having thebarrier coating thereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemicallyabated flooring surface
 32. The process of claim 31, wherein the atleast one adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of hotmelt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride,acrylic/pvc copolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumenmaterials, and combinations thereof.
 33. The process of claim 25,wherein the chemically abated flooring surface is substantially freefrom mastic material.
 34. The process of claim 25, wherein thefloorcovering article contains an adhesive material for contact with theflooring surface.
 35. The process of claim 25, wherein the floorcoveringarticle is selected from the group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloomcarpet, modular carpet, and combinations thereof.
 36. The process ofclaim 35, wherein the floorcovering article is modular carpet.
 37. Theprocess of claim 36, wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile.
 38. Aprocess for installing a floorcovering article on a chemically abatedflooring surface comprising the steps of: (a) Providing a flooringsurface having a mastic material thereon; (b) Applying at least onepetroleum-based or natural-based abatement chemical to the masticmaterial on the flooring surface; (c) Agitating the at least oneabatement chemical into and/or onto the mastic material of the flooringsurface to form a chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface; (d)Optionally, allowing the chemically treated pre-abatement flooringsurface to rest/soak for a period of time; (e) Removing at least aportion of the mastic material and the at least one abatement chemicalfrom the flooring surface to form a chemically abated flooring surface;(f) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material to at least a portionof the chemically abated flooring surface to form a chemically abatedflooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon; (g) Applying atleast one adhesive material to the chemically abated flooring surfacehaving the barrier coating thereon to form an adhesive-containing,chemically abated flooring surface; and (h) Applying a floorcoveringarticle to the adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooring surface.39. The process of claim 38, wherein the flooring surface is concrete.40. The process of claim 38, wherein the at least one petroleum-basedabatement chemical is selected from the group consisting of mineralspirits, glycol ethers, alcohols, and mixtures thereof.
 41. The processof claim 38, wherein the at least one petroleum-based abatement chemicalis selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol butyl ether,hydrotreated light petroleum distillates, aminoethanol, 2-butoxyethanol,2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, methylene chloride, methanol, toluene,monoethanolamine, 1,2-dimethyl-4-ethyl benzene,1,2,3,5-tertramethylbenzene, 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene,1,3-dimethyl-4-ethylbenzene, 1,3-dimethyl-5-ethylbenzene,1,4-dimethyl-2-ethylbenzene, 1-methyl-3-propylbenzene, naphthalene,1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, 3-ethyltoluene, mesitylene, 2-ethyltoluene,4-ethyltoluene, 1,2,3-trimethylbenzene, propylbenzene, o-xylene,ethoxylated nonylphenol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, alcohol alkoxylates,benzenemethanol, diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate,N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2-(2-aminoethoxy) ethanol, and combinationsthereof.
 42. The process of claim 38, wherein the at least onenatural-based abatement chemical is selected from the group consistingof soy-containing materials, citrus-containing materials, andcombinations thereof.
 43. The process of claim 42, whereinsoy-containing materials are selected from soybean oils.
 44. The processof claim 43, wherein soybean oils are alkyl esters of soybean oil. 45.The process of claim 44, wherein alkyl esters of soybean oil are methylesters of soybean oil.
 46. The process of claim 42, whereincitrus-containing materials are citrus oils.
 47. The process of claim46, wherein citrus oils include D-limonene.
 48. The process of claim 38,wherein the chemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface is allowedto rest and/or soak for a period of about 0.25 hours to about 4 hours.49. The process of claim 38, wherein the step of removing isaccomplished via at least one of the following methods: application ofand subsequent removal of dry absorbent material, application of andsubsequent removal of dry enzyme absorbent material, and application ofand subsequent removal of soap and/or surfactant and water.
 50. Theprocess of claim 49, wherein the soap and/or surfactant further includesan enzyme.
 51. The process of claim 50, wherein the enzyme is awater-based enzyme.
 52. The process of claim 38, wherein thepolymer-containing barrier material is selected from the groupconsisting of acrylic materials, epoxy-based materials, and combinationsthereof.
 53. The process of claim 38, wherein the polymer-containingbarrier material further includes at least one pigment.
 54. The processof claim 53, wherein the at least one pigment is a kaolin-basedmaterial.
 55. The process of claim 54, wherein the kaolin-based materialis layered silicate.
 56. The process of claim 38, wherein the at leastone adhesive material is selected from the group consisting of hot meltadhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, polyvinyl chloride, acrylic/pvccopolymer, partially chlorinated acrylic polymer, bitumen materials, andcombinations thereof.
 57. The process of claim 38, wherein thechemically abated flooring surface is substantially free from masticmaterial.
 58. The process of claim 38, wherein the floorcovering articlecontains an adhesive material for contact with the flooring surface. 59.The process of claim 38, wherein the floorcovering article is selectedfrom the group consisting of rugs, mats, broadloom carpet, modularcarpet, and combinations thereof.
 60. The process of claim 59, whereinthe floorcovering article is modular carpet.
 61. The process of claim60, wherein the modular carpet is carpet tile.
 62. A process forinstalling a floorcovering article on a chemically abated flooringsurface comprising the steps of: (a) Providing a flooring surface havinga mastic material thereon; (b) Applying at least one petroleum-based ornatural-based abatement chemical to the mastic material on the flooringsurface; (c) Agitating the at least one abatement chemical into and/oronto the mastic material of the flooring surface to form a chemicallytreated pre-abatement flooring surface; (d) Optionally, allowing thechemically treated pre-abatement flooring surface to rest/soak for aperiod of time; (e) Removing at least a portion of the chemicallytreated pre-abatement flooring surface to form a chemically abatedflooring surface; (f) Applying a polymer-containing barrier material toat least a portion of the chemically abated flooring surface to form achemically abated flooring surface containing a barrier coating thereon;and (g) Applying a floorcovering article to the chemically abatedflooring surface, wherein the floorcovering article contains at leastone adhesive material, wherein the at least one adhesive material is inphysical contact with the barrier coating of the chemically abatedflooring surface.
 63. The process of claim 62, wherein the processfurther includes the step of applying at least one adhesive material tothe chemically abated flooring surface having the barrier coatingthereon to form an adhesive-containing, chemically abated flooringsurface.